AMPEL BioSolutions’ LuGENE blood test may help predict lupus flares and drug targets from gene expression utilizing predictive artificial intelligence (AI).
The blood test measures RNA gene expression to predicts flares before they happen and provides specific information about a patient’s disease abnormalities, allowing physicians to make evidence-based decisions regarding therapy. AMPEL’s RNA blood or biopsy tests are utilized on demand with the goal of “treat to target” and optimal disease management for Lupus (LuGENE) or Dermatology Conditions such as Psoriasis or Eczema (DermaGENE).
LuGENE identifies real-time abnormalities leading to inflammation and immune system dysfunction that are targetable by medication. AMPEL’s approach pinpoints the patient subgroup(s) that express the target of one or both of the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs for lupus, belimumab (Benlysta, GlaxoSmithKline) and anifrolumab (Saphnelo, Astra Zeneca). The AMPEL R&D team included patients from all ethnicities to ensure that LuGEN is predictive for all lupus patients in the United States.
“Currently, there is no way to predict flares or determine which treatment is most appropriate for each patient, and in many instances, it can take many years for some patients to find the most effective one to manage their disease,” says Peter Lipsky, MD, Co-Founder and CEO/CMO of AMPEL BioSolutions, in a news release. “Healthcare professionals can now know whether a flare in disease activity in imminent and if the disease is not controlled, LuGENE can identify the specific targets of therapies that are more likely to provide relief. The LuGENE blood test is a monitoring biomarker that provides essential information to support personalized management for each individual lupus patient.”
LuGENE is currently available through the ReLATE study at Cedars-Sinai in LA and Arthritis & Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas (AOCC) in Charlotte NC. The study is expanding to sites across the US including Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology, Feinstein at Northwell Health, Mayo Clinic, Providence Healthcare, Rush in Chicago, Hospital for Special Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, University of Maryland, Yale, MetroHealth at Case Western Reserve, University of Massachusetts, Duke, and others.
